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Shropshire Swillers, Ironbridge (2024)

02/11/2024

In the opening stages of the victorious Battle of Plassey Robert Clive first drew the British line ahead of their defensive position in a large mango grove until French artillery fire forced him to pull the infantry, whose preservation was vital so to counter the Indian cavalry, back into the protection of the grove. On returning home to England Clive purchased Walcot Hall in Lydbury North in 1763 and, in 2024, we would experience our own Battle of Plassey in the village. Advancing uphill from Lydbury, we drew our line at a farm and encountered an artillery barrage (extremely stubborn cattle who wouldn't move and terrified Charlotte and the dog), forcing us back across the fields to the mango grove at the Powis Arms for our number 263.

When Clive purchased Walcot the pub was known as the New Inn and while the 15th century hall would be immediately rebuilt in 1764 it took several decades for the estate's attention to turn to the inn and it was by the mid 1800's that a rebuild here was sanctioned on a grand scale. Edward Clive, Robert's son, was given the title of Earl of Powis in 1804 and it was for this earldom that the pub would eventually be renamed, retaining the original name for at least the following century.

The Powis Arms' size for a small village may be one disadvantage in terms of daily cost but it's this size that affords it so many advantages otherwise. It's a pub that can do it all - a public bar for drinkers, dining rooms, a games room for pool and darts, a beer terrace and both B&B and campsite accommodation. The avenue leading to the hall has clearly been diverted from the eastern to the western side of the pub at some point and it's by the eastern lodge you'll find the terrace and campsite nestled amidst the grand trees of the estate.

3 real ales are available and we both went for the brilliant Dark Side of the Moose complemented by a spot of lunch from the menu, which has been simplified presumably for the colder months. With dark ale, steak sarnies, a tired dog, pleasant staff, pleasant pub, pleasant everything, it's fair to say we really enjoyed our time at the Powis Arms though the Clive connections on this trip don't end here!

31/10/2024

Where else in town could you be greeted at the door by an orc? In the shadow of St Mary's lies the Yorkshire House, a rare owd place for rare owd lads and lasses who like their nights mental, the floors sticky and the music loud. I used to come here every week, usually under protest for desire to reach the Nags, with a group of old friends and always drank John Smith's as I knew it'd be, if anything, consistent week after week. The "rock pub of Shrewsbury" is our number 262.

The York was first recorded as a pub in 1828 but the core of the building dates to much earlier and incorporates fine 17th century panelling into the interior. The layout is a simple U-shape with seating throughout, the bar on the left hand side and the loos, which are an experience, on the opposite end. Very little has changed here in decades and I'm almost certain that the most minor of improvements would result in a lengthy debate in Parliament. Perhaps a little over the top but, I believe, not overly unfounded; personal testament to the genuine endearment felt towards this pub by masses of her patrons as an icon of the Shrewsbury alternative scene .

There's been a lot of lasts at the York. It's the last cash only pub in the loop, the last in town to brew it's own ale and the last time they changed the carpet, now entirely worn through in most places, was 1960 judging by this Archives photograph of the front lounge! It was also the last pub for us to tick off for the day so we both intended to make it count with a pint of Westons and half a Guinness.

We enjoyed the company of Craig and Nicki, two Harlescott natives who frequent the York with Craig considering it his favourite in town as "you get genuine people here, people who'll talk to you". Darcy got plenty of attention here along with a water bowl and some treats, being allowed in on account of passing the landlady's test of "dogs are welcome as long as they get on with other dogs and people". Can't get a fairer policy than that. Though it's not our kind of place it was fun to swing by for a pint and relive some old memories, and we have to thank everyone for their warm welcome back to this interesting corner of the town!

30/10/2024

Moving on from the Salopian didn't stop me from watching the early kick off and it was at another real ale pub that we watched the second half at the Wheatsheaf in Frankwell, a Grade II listed pub that didn't always cut such a lonely figure on this street with the Old Crow, the Bell and the String of Horses for company once upon a time.

Looking upon this 1911 photo of number 261 you'd be forgiven for believing it was an entirely different pub; I know I struggled until cross referencing the name "A. Cartwright" on the pub sign. Amelia Cartwright was the widow of John Cartwright, a career publican formerly of the Cross Guns on New Street. Amelia somehow managed to juggle running the pub, brewing her own ale and raising their six children alone after John's early death, and I believe that two of their children, 13 year old Percy and 12 year old Roy, are in this picture outside their family pub.

Plenty of change has happened here in the last century - a whole floor has been taken off the pub, the bottom floor rendered, the front door turned into a casement window and the adjoining building demolished to create the car park and courtyard extant today where the Tentsheaf has been erected. Where the tent is located was formerly Wheatsheaf Passage, where 5 dwellings once housed all manner of families and lodgers, and this space is now used to host their annual beer festival and other events.

Along with the football, a pool table is available, and on the bar you have an ample selection of ales and ciders to choose from. I found my Three Tuns ###, pulled from the ground floor air con cellar to the rear, a little too chilly for a real ale which dampened the flavour - the Yanks can crack their jokes about "warm beer" in the UK but you really cannot beat a pint of bitter at proper cellar temperature. Having also been here on their Thursday social afternoon I can definitely say that the Wheatsheaf covers plenty of ground in providing something for pretty much anyone and everyone across the 365 days of the year, which ultimately is everything that Frankwell needs in a pub!

28/10/2024

Another day out in Shrewsbury gave us the opportunity to visit some old favourites while getting a few more numbers on the board starting here at The Salopian Bar & Garden for our number 260. We'd attempted to tick off the Salopian before now on a night out a couple of years back but found it absolutely rammed with no seats spare and barely any standing room left. A daytime visit is much more reasonable with ample seating to select from in any section of the pub and, despite one or two characters managing to be really quite inebriated by midday, enjoys a steadier and more relaxed tone than in the evenings.

The Salopian was first recorded in 1861 as the Globe and was built a stone's throw away from the Smithfield cattle market which had opened 11 years prior. To mark it's connection with the market it was renamed the Smithfield in 1916 but changed names again in 1959 to the Proud Salopian when the market was moved to Harlescott. At this time it was owned by Southams brewery and it was after their founder, Thomas Southam, that the pub was renamed to commemorate his 4 separate terms as mayor of Shrewsbury. Southam's likeness still remains dotted around the pub today despite "Proud" being dropped from the name around 2 decades ago.

The blazing red and black interior betrays the age of the Salopian which, despite being a mix of a sports bar and Deano paradise indoor beer garden, absolutely excels on the real ale front, stocking several ales as regulars and one or two guests to shake things up. The Eightfold Way Irish stout by Atom brewery was an excellent way to start the day, a truly brilliant example of a stout served perfectly but I expected nothing less from the cellar of this established real ale vendor. We definitely prefer the original part of the building compared with the newer indoor garden and side bar sections but the beauty of the place is that it has something for everyone, though some say that the additions have caused a huge shift in the atmosphere which we understand. While Charlotte says she wouldn't personally return, for me I'd be quite happy to enjoy another pint or two over the early kick off again some other day!

27/10/2024

We finally settled a 2 year long argument with ourselves over whether the White Hart in Ironbridge is a pub or not and decided that it is, though we were drinking their ale long before we actually entered the pub itself after a wonderful 3 course dinner at Suree's Thai next door who have a mutually beneficial drinks partnership with the White Hart. Pale ale isn't the most traditional of pairings with a Thai dinner but green tea wasn't going to cut it on date night let's be honest!

Predating the bridge, number 259 began life as a beerhouse in the 1700's but developed into a hotel by the early 19th century, offering stabling as the second closest coaching inn to the bridge after the Tontine. Centrally located, the White Hart became a popular haunt for the bridge builders and local iron workers, and Richard Trevithick is alleged to have visited in 1802. Another person of particular note to us is the proprietor in 1911; Thomas Aston. Thomas had worked as an iron dresser before taking on the hotel and, after a bit of reading up, it turns out he lived about down the road from us in his youth while his uncle and cousins lived in our house! Through the 20th century it remained a working man's darts and dominoes pub but with the forced removal of dozens of Ironbridge families from their homes, the closure of heavy industry and the influx of tourism it has been redeveloped as a gastro twinned with the Meadow Inn, which has since been renamed the Water Rat.

To that end, it feels as though much of the historic parts of the pub have been dressed up rather than fully embraced and you're more likely to find visitors here rather than locals in a similar manner to most of the pubs along the Wharfage. That being said, we appreciate very much that a dedicated drinking area with a fire has been retained, and that 3 hand pulls were available including the excellent Bewdley Worcestershire Way. Our 2nd date was for a meal here and as we recall it was of an excellent quality, and in all fairness we'd probably say this is the second best place for a drink on the Wharfage and High Street after the Coracle.

24/10/2024

After visiting an old stables last time out it was horses for courses at The Queens Head in Dawley for our number 258, a pub we visited on a date night (isn't she a lucky girl?) before heading to the Odeon for possibly the worst film I have ever seen in cinema in Joker 2.

Though nobody in attendance was sure on the history of the pub, the Queen's Head appears to have been two buildings knocked into one during the 20th century and was in existence by 1851 at the least. The original brickwork is on show in parts of the northern wall and you can tell where the old layout has been knocked through in the last century to create an open floorplan while retaining part of the walls, some of which are adorned in old photos of Dawley, to keep some sort of divide between the two sides of the pub which allows for one or two nooks for the more private patrons to duck into.

I spoke with the landlady a few days later and was surprised that she and her husband have only been at the tiller of the Queen's Head, their first pub, since March. She spoke of the good crowd of regulars they enjoy and that they sell 20x24 cases of Holsten Pils every week which I really just couldn't believe; apparently they go mad for the stuff here! I heard plenty of daft stories from locals, some of whom had been drinking in here for 50 years and as ever I found the company of Dawley folk overwhelmingly endearing. Though Banks's Amber was available in cask Charlotte went for the Marston's smooth, which she's enjoyed before, but asked to swap it for my Banks's mild which went down much nicer for her. On my revisit I went for the mild again - I should probably get it while I can with this news about the brewery closing.

I think the character of this pub is best exemplified when I say I accidentally left my wallet on our seat before we left for the cinema. When we arrived there and realized I quickly called up and asked the barmaid to fetch it for me for safekeeping - the locals hadn't even noticed it there in plain sight! While Charlotte isn't the biggest fan overall, I can say I loved both visits to the Queen's Head in Dawley and expect to be back soon for more stories and more pints!

23/10/2024

Number 257 is the Bricklayers Arms in Abbey Foregate which, until quite recently, has been known as The Brick or "Te Rick" as the sorry-looking pub sign says so as not to be mistaken with the pub by the same name in Copthorne. The Bricklayers has suffered a colourful reputation in recent years but the new management team under New Brew are in the middle of a remontada. Things are going well in this regard and hopefully soon they should have a nice and shiny new sign to mark the name change back to the original.

The Bricklayers Arms is first mentioned in 1780, making it the original and first of its name between the two, and for decades was one of the principal inns serving Monkmoor racecourse which opened in 1832 and closed in 1925. At the rear of the pub was a stables used by the greyhounds and racehorses but all this was lost not long after the closure of the course when a rebuild was undertaken, possibly by Worthingtons, in the 1930s which left us with the pub we see today. It's classically 30's in design and wouldn't look out of place near a major interwar RAF station, though RAF Monkmoor's Second World War role as a storage site is about as close to Tern Hill's Stormy Petrel as this one comes.

I remember landlady Claudia from the Salopian Star in Market Drayton and the feeling we got from our visit was that it genuinely feels like an extension of the Star with sport on the telly, a New Brew on the hand pull and a steady patronage of young and old in attendance in two distinct groups. We had ourselves two solid pints of APA for a cheerfully inexpensive £6 total, a price nearly unheard of outside of Spoons in these times, and in general the pub was perfectly nice enough to visit with little that would stop me from popping in again if the opportunity arose!

16/10/2024

During my 3 month stint as Dawley's postman, especially in July and August, I walked past one particular closed-down pub nearly every day with complete intrigue wondering if it would ever reopen again. I could make out the bar through the side window and just wanted to be stood at it ordering a pint of local bitter, which in Dawley Magna is about as common as rocking horse...you know the rest. Then one day as I walked past I noticed some workmen clearing out the inside, and straight away I thought they were sadly clearing it out to turn it into flats. Back home after work I saw it online - the Elephant & Castle, Dawley was coming back. Elation.

Number 256 dates to 1730 but appears to have been rebuilt during the early 19th century when Dawley High Street, then known as Dawley Green, was experiencing an economic boom amid industrial expansion. By 1896 it was an established coaching inn with stabling for 7 horses and the courtyard today makes up the beer terrace, part of which has been converted into a sun lounge extension of the dining room. The renovation overall has been done extremely tastefully (Charlotte is especially fond of the loos) and tailored to the town, combining elements of established local wet pubs with contemporary improvements to appeal to a wide variety of customers and also standing out with the inclusion of pub grub, which we did sample on another visit and found good value but may need some slight reassessment in delivery, and 4 real ales, 2/3 of which are dedicated to local breweries. Genuinely, this is all exactly what Dawley High Street has sorely needed.

Watching this pub go from abandoned to well-attended on opening night has been a delight to witness and I was glad to speak with a few Dawley folk on the night over our pints of TC and Butty to take in their thoughts. The mood was much the same as our assessment and it's clear the reopening with all its changes has been welcomed by the locals. We really hope the pub can keep this momentum going and make a roaring success out of the bright spark that has been its new infancy. I, or we, will definitely be back in Dawley City again to enjoy another pint at the Elephant and Castle!

12/10/2024

Thursday night, rural village pub, how busy could it really be? We'll probably be two of five or so that are there, right? Wrong. Dead wrong. The 19th century Hare & Hounds Withington was absolutely rammed for thirsty Thursday, a pub reborn and reinvigorated after a short closure over the early summer following the departure of the Buswell family who had run it for 28 years. New landlord Aaron used to play darts for number 255 and now runs the place with his wife Joanne, and what a job they're doing!

A fresh renovation has seen 3 layers of carpet stripped back to reveal the original quarry tiles and a bricked up fireplace reopened and returned to working order with the brand new stove being put to good use during our visit. Everyone was so, so welcoming and we spoke with no end of chatty villagers wondering how we'd ended up in this wonderful little place, with many of them noting that the pub has been brightened up a bit and made more inviting overall. While we never made it here before the takeover we're inclined to agree that the Hare & Hounds is an incredibly welcoming pub in every way, shape and form.

HPA & Butty were the cask ales on offer but it was a bad day to be a pint of M&B mild when we showed up. The landlord mentioned this elusive classic might be taken off soon which is a shame as they served it at the perfect temperature - absolute nectar I tell you now. By the time we went up for a second the Ludlow Stairway had been put on the hand pulls and you know full well that one had to be done as well, again just stupendous but we'd expect nothing less from this cult classic. On the food front, a regular menu isn't currently available though local food vendors take over things on the odd nights for BBQs, chilli, pizzas and the like. We loved this proper conversationalist's pub entirely and didn't want to leave when hometime came around. We can't wait to get back here someday soon and have no reservations in telling you all to get down these lovely country lanes and to try it for yourselves!

10/10/2024

After years of hoping and dreaming I've got some good news to share - I [Josh] will be moving into the brewing industry to become a drayman!

I've been offered the role by a well-known Shropshire brewery and start next week; now 100% of my life gets to revolve around pubs rather than 50%! I'm looking forward to getting on the road delivering the good stuff, so say hi if we happen to meet anywhere 😄🍻

09/10/2024

Our pit stop at The Squirrel Alveley was our last pub visit to be made in this old mining village and we're pleased to say now the results are in that we like all three of them! Number 254 is one of very few if not the only in the county with a skittle alley; it's just a shame there was a function on in the same room else I'd have given Charlotte or the dog a game, though having to settle for a sit down and a rest over a pint of Inch's and half a HPA isn't too bad a way to spend half an hour either.

It would be more historically accurate to list the location of the Squirrel as Birdsgreen, which at the turn of the 20th century was a functioning village in its own right with 2 inns, a post office, a blacksmiths and a corn mill all situated within close proximity to the Bridgnorth to Kidderminster road. The early 19th century Squirrel Hotel was the primary coaching inn for the surrounding area as evidenced by the extant horse mount, serving the regular Worcester to Shrewsbury coaches "L'Hirondelle" and "Hibernia" and becoming a popular home from home for anglers attending the banks of the Severn. The name is worthy of mention as a heraldic sigil; that of the Lees of Coton Hall on whose land the pub was built. This was the same Lee family whose American branch, which emigrated in 1639, included Confederate Army commander Robert Edward Lee.

The Squirrel plays a great role as a catch-all sort of roadside pub with a mix of travellers and locals to cater for, maintaining much of the historic fittings in the bar area and offering live sports, darts and pool as well as an affordable menu of classic pub grub main meals along with hot and cold bar snacks. With the sign almost screaming "do it" at us, and especially with it being a Sunday, we probably should have had a go at one of those beef and gravy cobs for a heightened experience and we regret that we didn't in the end! You can lead a horse to water...

06/10/2024

We feel like we didn't give the Haughmond in Upton Magna, or the Corbet Arms as it was once known, enough time, being in a terrific rush and having only 15 minutes to wallop half a pint and get back on the road. 15 minutes turns to 10 once you've stood at the bar and got your drink, and 10 turns to 5 when you've got to find the right seat and get comfortable. The 5 minutes of actual time we had at number 253 came and went in a flash, much like many would have done before at this 17th century coaching inn.

I say that, in 1963 you could still leave Shrewsbury station on a midday train to Stafford, alight at Upton Magna station at 20 past, walk through the door at 27 minutes past, enjoy a 7 hour session, walk back out the door into the cold, bitter English evening at 19:35 and make the last train home, arriving back in Shrewsbury in time for a few more until last orders was called at the Station Hotel, the Rock & Fountain or the Britannia. Two centuries before it was the coachman that was more likely to attend the bar of the Corbet Arms; especially so if he was making a run north from Atcham or south from Astley bypassing the Shrewsbury traffic on the quieter country lanes.

The first thing Charlotte said to me was that an incredible amount of money has been spent on the interior of the Haughmond, having recognized some pieces from window shopping for our own home. It was half past 5 when we walked through the door, hardly the teatime rush hour we admit, and we both remarked on how quiet it was with only a few drinkers around the bar despite this being more of a gastro than a drinker's pub.

We each had half a pint of Salopian Promised Land which was kept superbly and though an unorthodox choice from us both went down quite nicely. With the shop/cafe next door this is definitely a huge asset to the village and we can simply say that we will most definitely return to Upton Magna for a walk with the dog as we've fallen in love with the surrounding area - perhaps we may yet see the bar of the Haughmond once again if we have more time!

02/10/2024

Our good friend Jack was quite upset we visited the The C**k Inn Hanwood without him, and I understand why. I associate Hanwood itself with the Phillips family, the Phillips family with Hanwood bowling green, and Hanwood bowling green with our number 252, the two going hand in hand together like peas and carrots as the beating heart of the village!

This heart wasn't always beating at such a jolly rhythm and it took a monumentous effort by the community to save their pub a few years ago when it was threatened by closure. Safe to say it's back in full vigour now and recently celebrated a century of Hanwood bowls club with an exhibition of past articles and photos in which Jack, his dad Wayne, uncle Darren and grandparents Keith and Christine featured prominently as 3 proud generations of bowls players. Unfortunately with time ticking on towards kick off between Liverpool and United on our way home from Aberdovey we had little option but to head here, though I did text him to get out of bed in all fairness! Anyway we didn't need Jack in the end as Wayne predictably popped by; it was great to have a catch up for the first time since Jack and Liv's wedding 15 months ago.

After a warm welcome we were glad to grab one of the last seats in the house with a pint each of Three Tuns ### and, thanks to the generous landlady, a bowl of water and some leftover roast chicken for Darcy which was a lovely gesture. We were clearly outnumbered by United fans so thank God the result went our way in the end after a Slotball masterclass. Regardless of affiliations everyone was so friendly (most of all Eric the pub dog) and that's what has stuck with us the most from our visit as well as the quality of the ###. It's a shame that we were too late to get some food down us as well since it all sounds very good value for money, but perhaps there will be another time when Jack, Liv and their soon-to-arrive little one will be able to join us for another trip out!

28/09/2024

Our visit to number 251, the Winking Frog on Aston Street, saw us finish off our last piece of virgin ground at present in Shifnal until the White Hart reopens under Black Country Ales. We've been past multiple times and heard it would be a lively visit, with last orders being called here far later than anywhere else in the town.

It's been quite difficult to find out any in-depth history of the pub, only that it's named as the Railway Tavern in the 1851 directory some 2 years after the opening of the town railway station, which overshadowed the pub and the now-demolished adjacent railway terraces from the lofty viaduct that bisects Shifnal and dominates the skyline of the town. Thomas Latham, the landlord at the time, was previously in charge at the Griffin Inn around the corner on Market Place which by 1851 had closed. By the end of its time as the Railway it had become quite a music venue before being renamed the Winking Frog around 2015 or so and focusing on the late night scene.

We were glad that Darcy was allowed in with us and fair play to the bar staff for being so accommodating, allowing us in until 10 o'clock when the DJ was due to start, though of course we had to have some miserable old bat start having a go at us over the matter and continue to glare at us thereafter. Clearly she wasn't aware that Darcy is THE pub dog of Shropshire else she wouldn't have been so nasty!

I had myself a pint of Camden and wondered what this dark place used to look like, full of weary railway workers enjoying a pint of mild before heading home. We caught it at a quiet time which we didn't expect one bit, though we did expect that no real ale would be available and that it would be more of a rough and ready sports bar type of pub. Not all our flavour overall...but one more ticked off the list nontheless!

26/09/2024

We walked into a very different sort of atmosphere at the Crown in Shifnal where even the bouncers were happy to see the dog which we didn't expect at all! When you see bouncers on the door in a little market town you start to wonder what you've got yourself into but number 250 turned out to be a great pub in the end!

The Crown was apparently dedicated to the carrying trade during the busy Georgian era, leaving the passenger coaches to the likes of the Jerningham Arms. It was one of 23 pubs in Shifnal back then and brewed it's own beer until it was bought out but Southams of Shrewsbury after the Great War, and in more modern times was saved from closure by Woods in 2018 until the brewery sadly folded as we know a few years later leaving it a free house, though with the cream exterior and hand painted pub name across the facade we ought to be forgiven for thinking it looked quite like a Joules from the outside.

Fran and Dean both said the Crown is the more "boujee" pub of the town and we can see why (other than the loos which were really in a poor state according to Charlotte) and you had quite a good cross section of the townsfolk inside from the youngens starting their night out, couples enjoying a glass of wine together and bigger groups of 40 and 50 somethings letting their hair down after a long week.

We certainly didn't expect to find Enville ale in a place like this and especially served so perfectly. It was quite a struggle to hear each other talk we have to say and it wouldn't be our choice for avid conversationalists, but we absolutely do see the appeal to a broad range of customers and really rate the vibe here. The Crown is one we'd definitely come back to on another night out in Shifnal!

22/09/2024

We go from one micropub to another now, this time in Shifnal at the start of a night out with our friends Fran and Dean a month after their lovely wedding in Worfield. We had 3 pubs left in Shifnal to tick off (soon to be an extra one though!) and planned to get them all done before heading to the Anvil to finish off the night, kicking it all off here at the King's Yard on Cheapside, which opened in 2021, for number 249.

With a dog's water bowl outside the front door we'd assumed the King's Yard was dog friendly so headed in to a big welcome from all the locals who instantly gave Darcy a load of fuss and had a chat with us. We went to the bar, ordered our pints and were then told by the barmaid that we'd have to drink them outside as dogs aren't allowed. What a shame as we hadn't seen any signage about this but maybe we missed an obvious sign somewhere on the way in.

So there we were in the end, sat outside with our pints of Wye Valley stout like Joseph, Mary and the wee Darcy donkey at the inn. I wrote down that HPA, Butty Bach and Lymestone Stone Edge were also available on the hand pulls but can't recall much else about the pub as we weren't inside long enough. It's fair enough that pubs have a no-dog policy, and some people are very happy that they enforce it, it just unfortunately means we haven't got much to say in the end!

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